Sometimes (ok, all the time) I crave travel to a tropical location like other people crave chocolate. It's one of the (many) reasons I LOVE the Destination blog. It's my daily dose of destination goodness, and keeps my cravings at bay a bit. So I can promise you that this Bahama beauty by Ben Jamieson Photography is where my imagination will be for the rest of the day. With its beach meets traditional meets gorgeous vibe, it makes for a gallery of images worthy of your best destination day-dreaming.
Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From the Bride...Lyford Cay in the Bahamas is a very special place not only to my family, but also to Mac and me. It was there in the sea that Mac proposed on New Years Eve day 2009 as we waited to go snorkeling with my three brothers. I had my goggles and flippers in hand making my way toward Mac. As I drew closer, he knelt on one knee in the water until he was chest-deep, and then he pulled an opened ring box from the pocket of his board shorts. I cried and laughed at the same time. There was no doubt in either of our minds that The Lyford Cay Club would be the location for our July 2, 2011 nuptials. My grandparents had lived there since 1960, and it became a second home to my family; in fact, my brothers and I were all christened at the Church of St. Christopher’s. As a little girl, I remember sitting in church counting the number of pews and people that could fit into each pew. This would dictate the maximum number of guests who could attend my wedding – 98.
Since July in the Bahamas can be toasty and the ceremony took place in a unairconditioned church only “cooled” by paddle fans, we left straw fans with ribbon ties in the pews for the guests to use. Also, at the reception, rather than a guestbook, I found some really neat and unique “Well Wishes” tags with a starfish print on it which we asked our guests to write a “well wish” for the newly married couple. Alongside the tags, there was a Polaroid camera so the guests could take pictures of each other as they walked in. Ideally, Mac and I would then match up the pictures with the well wishes to create a sort of scrapbook (we have yet to get to that!). Naturally, our intention was to incorporate as much local influence as possible. Our color scheme reflected and included the natural landscape of our surroundings. We used green, white and silver accented by shells and flowers of the Bahamas. We encouraged everyone to enjoy the laid back Caribbean feel, while still offering them an elegant and traditional evening. We wanted to stray from the barefoot, beach wedding vibe and leave that for the after-party. We opted to use all local vendors: Ben Jamieson Photography, Wildflowers, Visage (band), and Anne Lever (cake). And, our menu boasted local catch of the day and conch prepared every which way. The real icing on the cake - pun intended - was a surprise appearance by a costumed Junkanoo band that Mac and I planned for all the guests. During Visage’s set break, we had a Junkanoo rush, which gave everyone a true feel for a Bahamian celebration. And then the band returned... There was not a single guest left dry from all the dancing!
Both our families were so instrumental in planning our wedding. We are incredibly appreciative of their constant love and support throughout the process. In addition to my mom, each of my brothers contributed by designing invitations, creating a “Save the Date” video and a wedding “highlight” video, planning a fishing trip, and shipping large packages to Nassau for me. A large contributor to the flawlessness of the evening, though, was The Lyford Cay Club. Not only is it a beautiful venue, but the food is also wonderful, and everyone involved was so helpful and accommodating. It was a perfect location for our wedding. Looking back on the evening, there is not one thing Mac and I would change. We are so grateful to all of our family and close friends who flew to Nassau to help us celebrate.
Wedding Photography: Ben Jamieson Photography / Flowers: Wildflowers / Band: Visage / Wedding Cake: Anne Lever / Hair + Make-up: Anna Berardelli-Knowles at The Albany / Ceremony Location: Church of St. Christopher's / Reception Location: The Lyford Cay Club / Wedding Dress: Claire Pettibone / Bridesmaids Dresses: twobirds Bridesmaid via Gilt Groupe / Groom's Suit: J.Crew / Groom + Groomsmen Ties: Collared Greens / Additional Photography Credits: Cam Brooks